Tory MP is ditched by charity in racism row
He mixed up Zahawi and Javid at event, ‘then said: They all look the same to me’
TORY MP James Gray has become embroiled in a race row after he was said to have claimed Cabinet ministers Nadhim Zahawi and Sajid Javid ‘look the same to me’.
Mr Gray, 66, allegedly made the remarks at a St John Ambulance event he hosted in Parliament where both ministers were guests.
While introducing the then vaccines minister Mr Zahawi, who has a white beard, Mr Gray mixed him up with clean-shaven Health Secretary Mr Javid.
After being picked up on his error, the MP for North Wiltshire reportedly told guests: ‘They all look the same to me.’
Glasgow-born Mr Gray was a Commander of the Order of St John, but a spokesman confirmed last night that it had asked him ‘to stand down from all activities’.
He added: ‘St John does not tolerate racism in any way, shape or form. We spoke with James Gray following the event about our values as an open, inclusive and progressive charity.’
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer was among 50 guests at the occasion on September 8.
Mr Zahawi, who is now Education Secretary, is said to have spoken in private to Mr Gray after the alleged mishap. The Health Secretary had not yet arrived at the event when the remarks were said to have been made, but posed for pictures later. Mr Gray posted a picture of himself with Mr Zahawi and St John Ambulance chief executive Martin HoughtonBrown online the following week.
The Tory MP praised the audience made up of St John Ambulance volunteers and frontline workers for their ‘extraordinary efforts’ during the pandemic.
He has already come under fire for saying last month, on the eve of the Labour Party conference in Brighton, that a bomb should be planted in the office of shadow minister Anneliese Dodds.
He later apologised to Miss Dodds, the shadow women and equalities minister and Labour Party chairman.
Mr Gray, who was elected as MP for North Wiltshire in May 1997 and became a Commander of the Order of St John in September 2020, told Mail Online he did not say: ‘They all look the same to me.’
But he admitted confusing the two men with each other. He added they were also close, longterm friends of his.
He denied being racist and added: ‘I said, “I am sorry to confuse the two of you. You two look very alike”. I said, “I am sorry if I got you two mixed up”.’